Mat for pictures



(No Model.)

J. SEARVOGLE.

MAT FOR PICTURES.

No. 460,663. Patented 0ct. 6, 1891.

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JOHN SEARVOGLE, OF ROCHESTER, NEIV YORK.

MAT FOR PICTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,663, dated October 6, 1891.

Application filed April 20, 1891. Serial No. 389,633. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SEARVOGLE, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mats for Pictures, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings.

Myinvention is a novel construction of mats for pictures; and it consists in the manner of mounting the covering upon the frame of the mat. The invention is hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims. It is found in practice that the joints at the corners of mat-frames are apt to open after being covered with the paper and tear the latter, as indicated at the lower righthand corner of Figure 1 in the drawings. This opening at the joints results from a shrinking or moving of the wooden pieces of which the frames are made, and it occurs sometimes even after the wood has been thoroughly kiln -dried. Furthermore, the two pieces forming a joint, when brought to an even surface, will frequently become uneven or rough on account of one piece rising slightly above the other. This unevenness appears through the paper covering when the latter is pasted directly onto the wood, causing the mat to be disfigured at the corners. It is found that the frames open at one or more of the inner corners, which openings extend usually from one-half to twothirds of the distance to the outer corners. This opening of the joints, whatever may be the cause, is a serious diificulty in the manufacture of mats, and to overcome this difficulty is the object of my invention. i

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front View of a mat with parts of the covering broken away. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same, a part of the first or lower covering being broken away. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the mat; and Fig. 4, a transverse section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1, drawn to a larger scale.

Referring to the parts shown in the drawings, A is the frame of the mat, it being substantially of common construction. These frames are usually made of wooden strips cl, preferably mitered at the cornersand glued or otherwise fastened together.

In constructing my improved mat I first cover the face of the frame with cloth a or similar material, which, however, is not glued or pasted onto the front face of the wood, as is usually done, but is turned over on the outer edges of the frame and there secured by tacks b or other simple means of fastening. The inner edges of the cloth are also carried through the frame and turned over against the back surface thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, and secured by tacks b or other simple fastening as an adhesive substance. Upon this cloth I mount the paper or outer covering 0 of the mat, securing it to the cloth by paste or other adhesive substance. Thus mounted, the cloth is free from the face of the frame, and it and the outer .paper covering are independent of any expansion or contraction of the wood beneath them resulting in the opening of the corner joints or the unevenness at the corners of the frame above described. In consequence of this no roughness or irregularity of the face of the frame is shown on the face of the paper covering, which accomplishes the object sought.

The cloth applied as above described may be such that it will be the only covering for the frame and constitute the visible portion of the mat, or the paper, made strong and to ugh, applied in the same manner, may itself constitute the only covering for the frame. Either of these methods of covering the frame comes within myinvention, the spirit of which is to leave the covering of the frame clear or free from the face of the latter and fasten said covering at the outer edges or the back of the frame, as described, and for the purpose set forth.

The sheet of cloth is formed with an opening at its center, corresponding in a general way with the viewopening in the frame. (Clearly shown in Fig. 3.) The middle part of the cloth, being thus cut out, forms four interior edges, in which short kerfs are made at the corners, forming flaps, which are turned through the frame and secured to its rear surface, as above set forth.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A mat for pictures, consisting of an open frame formed of strips of Wood rigidly joined at their ends, the faces of said strips of wood being, covered with cloth permanently attached to the frame, said cloth having an opening formed at its middle portion, with flaps turned through the frame and secured to the back thereof, the outer edges of the cloth being secured to the outer edges of the frame, substantially as described and shown.

2. A mat for pictures, consisting of a frame formed of strips rigidly joined, a canvas covering for said strips open at its center, with flaps turned through the frame and secured thereto and the outer edges of the cloth se- 

